Demands imposed on large scale integrated circuits, such as electronic memory devices, microprocessors, signal-processors and integrated logic devices, are constantly increasing. In the case of electronic memory devices, those demands mainly translate into enlarging storage capacity and into increasing access speed. As far as modern memory devices are concerned, the computer industry has established, amongst others, the DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) as an economic means for high speed and high capacity data storage.
Although a DRAM requires continuous refreshing of stored information, speed and information density, combined with a relatively low cost, have put the DRAM to a pivotal position in the field of information technology. Almost every type of computer system, ranging, for example, from PDAs over note-book computers and personal computers to high-end servers, takes advantage of this economic and fast data storage technology. Nevertheless, the computer and electronic industry develops alternatives to the DRAM, such as phase change RAM (PC-RAM), conductive bridging RAM (CB-RAM), and magnetic resistive RAM (M-RAM). Other concepts include the flash-RAM or static RAM (S-RAM), which have already found their established applications.
In order to increase the storage capacity of, for example, a memory device, the computer industry aims to reduce the minimum feature size. This translates into a miniaturization of the involved electronic entities, such as transistors, capacitors, resistors, and/or signal lines. Hereby, many electronic entities involve a dielectric element or a dielectric layer. Examples include a transistor, which comprises a gate-electrode, separated from a transistor channel by a dielectric layer. Furthermore, a capacitor comprises a dielectric layer which is arranged in between two facing electrodes. Often, it is desirable to maximize the dielectric constant of the dielectric material of the dielectric element and/or dielectric layer. This may result into an enhanced capacity, while, at the same time, being able to reduce the feature and/or electrode area. Also, it may be desirable to reduce leakage currents through the dielectric material of an dielectric element and/or layer.
As part of efforts to increase the dielectric constant of a dielectric material, the high-k-materials are subject to intense industrial and scientific research. Such materials may be defined as having a dielectric constant which is greater than the dielectric constant of silicon dioxide. Examples for high-k-materials include transition metal oxides, zirconium, hafnium-oxide, lead zirconium titanate, tantalum oxide, silicon nitride, and/or barium strontium titanate. However, there is still need for increasing the dielectric constant of dielectric materials, dielectric elements, and/or dielectric layers.
Various embodiments of the present invention may provide particular advantages for an improved method of fabricating a dielectric layer, an improved method of fabricating an integrated circuit, an improved dielectric layer, and an improved integrated circuit.